Metallic structure.



A. P. WHITE.

METALLIC STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION mm NOV. 13. 1909.

1,199,137, PatentedSept. 26,1916.

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A. P. WHITE.

METALLIC STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION man Nov. 13. I909.

1 199 137 PatentedSept. 26,1916.

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ALEXANDER 1?. WHITE, OF CALDWELL, NE'i/V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERALFIREPROOFING COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METALLIC STRUCTURE.

Application filed November 13, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. WHITE, acitizen of the United States, residing in Caldwell, county of Essex,State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Metallic Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metallic boxes,

drawers, cases, cabinets, and the like, and

particularly to metallic structures of this variety which are assembledand fastened together without the use of rivets, and the object of myinvention is to improve and cheapen the construction. The method ofassembling and locking the parts together is so simple that thestructures may be shipped in knocked-down form and put to gether by thepurchaser or user without requiring any particular skill or the use ofspecial tools. I accomplish this object by having two of the sidesintegral with or hinged to a third side, and providing the other side orsides withflanges which interfit with flanges on the third side and witha key frame, said frame also engaging flanges on the free ends of thefirst two sides. By fastening the key frame in place all of the elementsare connected and fastened together.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is a perspectiveviewof an assembled structure embodying my invention; Fig. 9. is a verticalsection on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline 33 of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the elementswhich are to be assembled. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the corner of aside; Fig. 7 shows a corner of the key frame with the sides of thestructure in their final position in dotted lines; Fig. 8 shows themanner in which two of the sides may be hinged to a third; Figs. 9 and10 show a modification of the flanged connection between the sides.

For convenience, the structure will he considered in the position shownin Fig. 1, so that the elements may be referred to as top, bottom, backand sides.

In the preferred form of my invention the back 1, and the sidesconstituting the top 2 and the bottom 3 are bent up from one metalsheet, and flanges 4, 4 are formed on the vertical edges of the back.The front or free edges of the top and bottom are also provided withflanges 5, 5, and the corners are Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept-.25, 191%.

Serial No. 527,756.

cut away as at 6, 6 to receive the key frame. The flanges 5, 5 may beprovided with tabs 7, 7 to be folded over the key frame as hereinafterexplained.

The side pieces 8 are exactly alike, except they are made right andleft, and each is provided with a rear flange 9 and a front flange 10.The corners of the front flange must be cut away. as at 11, to receivethe key frame. The sides may also be provided with flanges 12, 19., forthe purpose of giving finish and strength. In some cases only one sideis used.

The key frame 13 is merely a metal square, the width of each side beingjust sullicient to allow the frame to slide under the flanges.

To assemble the structure, the free ends of the top and bottom, that isto say, the flanges 5, 5, are forced toward each other, as shown in Fig.4. The key frame 13 is then slipped over the ends into the positionshown in Fig. 4, and pushed back until it abuts against the rearshoulder of the cut away corners 6, 6. The corners (5, 6 must be cutaway far enough back to allow the tabs 7, 7 to pass up in front of thekey frame When the top and bottom are sprung or forced back to theirnormal position; The side pieces 8 are then adjusted in position withthe rear flange 9 engaging with the flange 4 on the back of thestructure, and the front flange 1O overlapping the key frame between thetop and bottom flanges 5, 5. VVith the parts in this position. the keyframe is back of the flanges 5, 5 and 10, 10,-and in order to connectthe parts the key frame is forced forward so that it passes under allfour of these flanges.

In order to prevent the key frame from sliding back into its rearposition where the parts might become disconnected, the tabs 7, 7 arefolded down so as to act as stops. The position of the key frame afterit has been pushed forward is clearly indicated in Fig. 7. Instead ofhaving the top and bottom integrally connected to the back, they may beconnected by the well known form of hinge indicated in Fig. 8.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I show a modification of the method of connecting theside to the back, in which the slots 14, 14 take the place of the rearflange 4; and the tabs 15, which are adapted to register with the slots14, take the place of the flange 10.

For the purpose of rigidity and strength I prefer to make the key framein the form of a square, as shown in the drawings, but obviously thecentral portion of the vertical sides of the key frame, as it is shownin Fig. 4, may be omitted between the lines 1Gl6, because when the partsi are assembled the flange 10 prevents displacement of the upper andlower sides of the key frame, and as the upper and lower portions of thekey frame are looked under the flanges 5, 5, the top and bottom of thestructure will be held in position even though the key frame itself isnot solid.

Other modifications of the mechanical details and arrangements of theparts will occur to those skilled in this art, and other means forlocking the key frame in position, and I do not limit myself to thedetails herein shown and described, for I consider that my inventionconsists. broadly in a key frame adapted to engage flanges on three orfour of the sides of a structure of this class, two of those sides beingpermanently connected. to the fourth or fifth, and the other one or twobeing connected to the fourth or fifth by inter-fitting flanges.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

v1. In a metallicstructure, thecombination of a back provided withflanges, a top and a bottom integrally connected to said back andprovided with flanges at their front edges adapted to engage with a keyframe, two sides provided with rear flanges adapted to engage with theflanges on said back, and front flanges adapted to engage with. a keyframe, and a key frame adapted. to engage with the front flanges'on thetop, bottom and sides and adapted to be operated from the outside of thestructure.

2. In a. metallic structure, the combination of a back provided withflanges, a top and a bottom integrally connected to said back andprovided with flanges at their front edges adapted to engage with a keyframe, two sides provided with rear flanges adapted to engage with theflanges on said back, and front flanges adapted to engage with a keyframe, a key frame adapted to engage with the front flanges on the top,bottom and sides, and means for locking said key frame under saidflanges, said locking means and frame adapted to be operated from theout side of the structure.

3. A metallic structure comprising a back having two sides securedthereto and movable relative to each other, a single rigid key framehaving anopening larger than the in Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents cash, by addressing the commissioner of latentner surface of the back and adapted toseat 7 over the sides when sameare bent toward each .other, separate side pleces detachably secured tothe back and means on each of' said side pieces adapted to interlockwith the frame.

l. A metallic structure comprising'a back having two sides securedthereto and movable relative to each other, a single rigid key frameadapted to slip over the free ends of said sides when they are benttoward .each other, separate side pieces detachably' secured to theback, and means provided on the free ends of said side pieces adaptedtointerlock with the frame when the same is moved in a direction awayfrom the back and to conceal the same.

5. In a metallic structure, the combination with a back and two sidesconnected thereto,

'of two side pieces detachably connected to said back and a key frameengaging the free ends of said sides and side pieces to lock the same inposition.

6. In a metallic structure, the combination.

with a back and two sides connected thereto,

of two side pieces detachably connected to saidback, eachof the sidepiecesattached to said back and having a flange at the free end thereofand a key frame engaging said flanges to hold the same in positionrelative.

to each other.

7. In a metallic structure, the combination.

vided with exterior flanges at their free ends, a key-frame adapted toengage with the exterior flanges on the free ends of said two sides,twoother side-pieces provided with interior flanges adapted to engage withthe exterior flanges on. the first-mentioned side-piece, and alsoprovided with interior flanges adapted to engagewith said 'key frame.

' In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses,

ALEXANDER P. WI-IIIE. Witnesses Gsn'rannn WV. MARTLING, OLIVE B. KING.

Washington, D. G,

